Product Information

Publisher's Description

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The life of Nehemiah is an inspiring testament to the power of determination. Years after Jerusalems defeat by Babylon, the Jewish people returned to their land, only to discover a city left in ruins. Surrounded by enemies, Nehemiah finds himself tasked with an overwhelming charge: To rebuild the walls of his beloved city. This Bible study examines Nehemiahs remarkable journey from the everyday to the extraordinary, and explores the unique power found in perseverance.

The Wiersbe Bible Studies Series explores timeless wisdom found in Gods word. Based on Dr. Warren W. Wiersbes popular "BE" series, each study provides topical, relevant insights from selected books of the Bible. Designed for small groups, this eight-week study features selected commentaries from BE Determined, engaging questions, and practical applications, all designed to help you connect Gods word with your life.

Author Bio

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Dr. Warren W. Wiersbe is an internationally known Bible teacher and the former pastor of The Moody Church in Chicago. For ten years he was associated with the Back to the Bible radio broadcast, first as Bible teacher and then as general director. Dr. Wiersbe has written more than 160 books, including the popular "BE" series of Bible commentaries, which has sold more than four million copies. He and his wife, Betty, live in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Thank you to David C. Cook and B and B Media for my free copy for reading/reviewing.

At the beginning of this Bible Study a quote is given from Charles Spurgeon that states emphatically the prevailing character of the Old Testament book of Nehemiah.

"We are not called to govern, as he did, with an iron hand, but we ought to be equally inflexible, decided, and resolute for God, and for His holy will. God calls us to be determined."

Nehemiah is an Old Testament book located before Psalms; actually Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job and then Psalms. The thirteen chapter book, Nehemiah, is named after the man Nehemiah who was a cup-bearer. Scholar's believe it was probably Ezra though who wrote this book. God called Nehemiah for leadership service in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem after the Jewish return from exile. Nehemiah had obstacles that tried to prevent him from rebuilding; yet Nehemiah was determined to fulfill the mission that God had given him to do, not for his glory, but for the glory of God.

Dr. Wiersbe brought out "9 tactics of the enemy that was used to try and stop the work: ridicule, plots of war, discouragement, fear, selfishness, compromise, slander, threats, and intrigue". The real enemy is Satan and he uses these same tactics against us. I felt that real life application was given to the individual and to the church in these chapters on the plots of the enemy. Throughout this Bible study thought provoking questions are given in order to dig deeper in to God's Word. The questions are for either individual use or in a small group. Portions of Wiersbe's commentary on Nehemiah are inserted in to the chapters.

I have to admit that I love Wiersbe's commentaries, they are easy to understand for the layperson such as myself. I also appreciate his commentaries because I can apply them so easily to my own life.

"Nehemiah: Standing Firm in the Face of Opposition" is a Bible study of "Nehemiah" that has 8 main lessons and an ending summary lesson. This study can be used with small groups that meet once a week or as a personal Bible study. The study mostly focused on what Nehemiah's example showed us about church leadership, building up the church, church services, studying Scripture, and Christian living.

Each lesson started with a reminder to pray and with the reading of the next one or two chapters of "Nehemiah" in your own Bible. The Bible study then asked two questions about what stood out to you in the reading. Next were eight questions to help you dig deeper into the themes found in the reading. Each of these questions was proceeded by a paragraph or two of comments by the author or material quoted from the author's Be commentaries on "Nehemiah." Next were three questions reflecting on what was learned and how it mattered to your life today. The final question asked you to pick one idea from the reading to explore further in the coming week. Then you're prompted to say a prayer asking God to guide you in the areas you've noted during the study.

Overall, I felt like this Bible study would be most helpful to those in church leadership or those working closely with the church leadership. While I didn't feel like I gained much new insight into the actual events in "Nehemiah," perhaps this study might also work well for those who are unfamiliar with "Nehemiah."

I received a review copy of this book from The B&B Media Group for review purposes.

Another excellent Wiersbe bible study. This one about Nehemiah is geared towards leaders of the church and would be excellent for young pastors and those in leadership positions since Nehemiah was a leader. Although it could stand alone, a previous study called "Be Determined" from the "Be" series of studies would be an excellent prerequisite since it is referred to frequently through out this study. I found that it was necessary to have a couple of different bible versions open to Nehemiah on my desk while doing the study as it does not contain many direct verses. I do like to have the verses along with the questions. The questions were capable of eliciting deep thought and would be good for any person whether or not they were well versed in bible theory.